The present invention relates to a lamp housing assembly which includes a lamp housing and a shield. The shield extends into the cavity of the lamp housing and is attached to the lamp housing externally of such cavity. The present invention particularly relates to an automotive lamp housing assembly.
Lamp housing assemblies are well known in the art. One example is the conventional automotive housing assembly. Such an assembly typically includes a lamp housing to which is attached a lens. The lamp housing assembly is structured and arranged to house a lamp therein having connectors attached thereto for electrical and mechanical connection to the wiring system of the vehicle. A reflector is also provided within the lamp housing assembly although in some embodiments the lamp housing may comprise a body which forms the reflector.
In some automotive headlamp housing assemblies heat and light shields are provided. Such a shield extends into the headlamp housing cavity and is attached relative to the housing by mounting a shield support stem to the inside of the reflector. To this end, slots, wedges, screws and the like have been provided inside the reflector to hold the shield stem in place. One of the problems incurred relating to such support structure is that the quality and quantity of light coming from the reflector is reduced. As a practical matter, the structure which supports the shield interferes with the reflected light. In addition, typically, the support stem is press fit into a tapered hole which extends through the reflective surface of the reflector. Such structure effects an undesirable non-optic or xe2x80x9cfootprintxe2x80x9d area of the reflective surface thereby diminishing light output.
This is particularly objectionable when high efficiency reflectors are being used since such reflectors have a smaller than normal amount of reflective surface area available to begin with. Another problem with such support structures is that there is a tendency for the shield to become detached from the lamp housing support surface during use of the lamp.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved lamp housing assembly.
It is another object of the present invention to obviate the disadvantages of the prior art by providing an improved lamp housing assembly.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved lamp housing assembly wherein the lamp shield support effects a relatively small footprint upon the reflective surface of the lamp reflector.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved lamp housing assembly wherein the quality and quantity of the light coming from the reflector is not substantially reduced by the presence of the shield support.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved lamp housing assembly wherein the tendency for the shield stem to become detached from the lamp housing support surface is substantially reduced if not eliminated.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved lamp housing which may be readily fabricated by molding.
Still another objective of the present invention is to provide an improved lamp housing which includes a lamp housing which may be readily fabricated by conventional molding procedures.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved automotive lamp housing assembly which achieves all of the foregoing objectives.
This invention achieves these and other objects by providing a lamp housing assembly which comprises a lamp housing. The lamp housing comprises an inner surface and an outer surface. A through passage extends from the inner surface to the outer surface. A shield extends through the through passage. The shield comprises a first portion, a second portion and a blocking end. The first portion extends into the lamp housing to the blocking end, and the second portion extends out of the lamp housing and is coupled to the second surface.